


For Better or Worse (For Life and Love follow-up/one-shot!)

by JamieJam93



Category: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson - Fandom, One Direction (Band)
Genre: F/M, M/M, Mentions of cancer (past), mentions of child abandonment
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-29
Updated: 2015-07-29
Packaged: 2018-04-11 22:22:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4454618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JamieJam93/pseuds/JamieJam93
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Four years after Louis and Harry's marriage, a lot is different, but same things stay the same.</p>
            </blockquote>





	For Better or Worse (For Life and Love follow-up/one-shot!)

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [For Life and Love](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3902338) by [JamieJam93](https://archiveofourown.org/users/JamieJam93/pseuds/JamieJam93). 



> Okay, I really think this will be the last part of the FLAL universe. I hope you enjoy it!
> 
> Again, I feel weird posting this as 'inspired by' my own fic, but I wanted to connect all the different parts of this series, and that seems to be the easiest way to do it. I don't mean to sound conceited XD

            Harry woke up on the day of his four year anniversary to several messages from friends; most a simple ‘happy anniversary,’ but some a bit more heart-felt, such as one particularly sappy one from his mother, reading, _‘4 years ago you made me the happiest woman alive by marrying the guy who makes you the happiest man <3 Love you both’ _and one from Louis’s best friend, who Harry was also quite close to now, Liam. That one said, _‘Thank you. Congrats! =]’_

            Smiling, Harry locked his phone and set it back down on the nightstand. He appreciated all the messages, sappy or not, and would reply later, but right now, his phone was just a little too bright. He and Louis had done their celebrating the previous night, and maybe partied a little too hard, but that was okay. They always went all out for their anniversaries when they could because they weren’t only celebrating another year together. They were celebrating the fact that Louis _had_ another year, as he’d been very sick back when they first got married, and more recently, they were also celebrating theirsecond wedding, which had taken place exactly one year ago that day and one-and-a-half years since Louis was found to be back in good health.

            Although maybe his health wasn’t so great that day because Harry woke up alone.

            “Babe?” Harry called as he exited the couple’s bedroom. He shouldn’t have let Louis drink so much, he thought guiltily, but he felt better once he found his husband in the kitchen, eating a cupcake and drinking his morning cup of tea, completely ignoring Charlie, their dog, who was begging at his feet.

            “Good morning!” Louis greeted cheerfully, smiling as his husband walked over to place a kiss on his forehead.

            “Good morning,” Harry said back. “You alright then?”

            “I’m perfect,” Louis said, soft grin on his face. Harry couldn’t help but return it.

            “Good. Now, that cupcake better not be your breakfast,” he said teasingly.

            “Course it is!” Louis told him, taking a bigger bite and smearing some icing on his upper lip. Harry shook his head, still smiling.

            “Cupcakes aren’t breakfast, Louis,” he said, opening the refrigerator door to gather a few eggs.

            “They are when that’s the only edible thing around that requires no work on my part.”

            “Yeah, we do need to get to the store.”

            “Kelsey’s on it,” Louis said. Kelsey was Louis’s sixteen-year-old sister, whom Louis had gotten custody of when she was just eleven, after their mom died and their dad fled. Harry had come into the picture shortly after, and Kelsey had taken to him immediately. She’d taken to him quicker than Louis had, actually. Louis had another sister, Lily, who was now three, going on four, that he’d raised from birth. Though she was a few months old when Harry started coming around, she knew nothing else. Harry and Louis were her parents, and Harry wouldn’t want it any other way.

            “When are the girls going to be home?” Harry asked his husband. They had stayed with Liam and his husband, Niall, the previous night to give Harry and Louis some privacy.

            “We have time to eat and take a shower,” Louis assured him.

***

            It wasn’t often that the husbands were able to take a joint shower. Tough they’d moved to a fairly big house almost a year ago; one that gave all of them a lot more privacy than the tiny rental home they’d been residing in, it was hard to get much privacy with a three-year-old, and Harry couldn’t really ask Kelsey if she could watch her sister while Harry did her brother in the shower. So when they did get shower time together, they made sure it counted. Of course, that didn’t require much work. They had a strong natural chemistry and an emotional connection that was so strong that it came out in every area of their relationship.

            That morning was different, though. Harry was already in a bit of an emotional state, he supposed, as it was their fourth anniversary, and the first from their second wedding, when Louis had been fully recovered.

            When Louis undressed, it was like he was doing so in slow motion, which was pretty cheesy, Harry knew, but it was true. He loved Louis, and his looks had nothing to do with why he loved him, but Harry could still remember clearly when Louis had been skin and bones; back when the wind could almost literally knock him over. Harry loved him then too, of course, but he couldn’t pretend that it was easy seeing him like that, and though it had been a while ago now, Harry was still amazed in moments like these, when he was reminded just how far Louis had come. His skin had its natural golden tone again, and he regained all the curve and muscle he’d lost while sick. His hair was back too; just as thick and heathy as before. It was a testament to all Louis had been through and how hard he’d fought, and though Louis claimed Harry deserved all the credit, Harry politely believed that to be complete rubbish. He helped Louis the best he could during those times, but he couldn’t save him. The doctors did that, and Louis himself.

            “Whatcha thinking about?” Louis asked, kissing from Harry’s jawline down to his neck, the hot water creating a comfortable steam around them.

            “You,” Harry answered with a smile.

            “Good things?” Louis asked, squirting some shampoo on his palm before massaging it through his husband’s hair. Harry outwardly moaned before replying,

            “Always.”

            “Always?” Louis asked, quirked eyebrow and a half a smirk on his face.

            “Well, usually,” Harry teased. Louis was smiling as he pressed a kiss to his husband’s lips.

***

            “Happy anni-ber-vasy!” a small voice rang out from the front doorway just a few minutes after Harry and Louis had exited the shower and taken to cuddling on the couch to watch their wedding video from the previous year, something Harry planned to make a tradition.

            “Thank you, Lily!” Louis exclaimed with a smile as the toddler rounded the corner and ran as fast as her little legs would carry her to hug the two men.

            “Did you have fun?” Kelsey asked as she made her way into the room as well and sat herself in the chair by the couch.

“We did,” Harry said.

            “Good. Hey, Louis, do you still have that extra ticket for your show tonight? Alex wants to come.”

            “Your boyfriend wants to come to my show rather than go to his friend’s birthday party?”

            “Yes.”

            “What did you threaten him with?”

            “Nothing,” Kelsey laughed. “He just wants to support you. You know he really looks up to you, for whatever reason.”

            Louis glared playfully, and his sister smiled.            

            After finishing all of the necessary cancer treatments, Louis had gone back to school and finished his drama degree. He finished quickly, in under a year, and that night was the final performance of his first paid show. It was just a local theater production, but all reviews on Louis’s performances had been positive. Everyone-not only his friends and family-expected him to go far. Harry was so proud (though would have been proud, no matter what the critics said), but had yet to see Louis’s performance. He’d wanted to be there every night, but Louis had said the nerves would be worse that way, so he respectfully stayed away. Finally, Louis had agreed to let Harry and a few others go to the last showing, and Harry had been counting down the hours for the past couple of weeks.

            “Alex can come if he really wants to,” Louis said to his sister, who beamed.

            “He’ll be so happy! Can he ride with us?”

            “I suppose,” Louis sighed dramatically. He’d chosen his major well.

            “I’m going to call him,” Kelsey said, and headed quickly to her room. Harry turned to his husband, who was lifting his youngest sister to set her on his lap, his face suddenly creased with anxiety.

            “Don’t be nervous,” Harry tried, running a finger across his husband’s forehead to try to smooth the worry line.

            “It’s always more nerve-wracking performing in front of people who you actually know,” Louis said, though his face did relax a little underneath the other’s touch.

            “It will be all people who love you,” Harry said. “We’re going to be proud of you no matter what.”

            “I know that,” Louis said, “but I can’t help it.”

            Harry kissed him.

            “You’re going to do great, babe. I know it.”

            “And if I don’t?”

            “I told Liam to pick up some tomatoes.”

            That got a laugh out of Louis, and Harry smiled.

            “Happy four years, babe,” Harry said before placing another kiss on the guy’s lips.

            “Best four years of my life,” Louis said, and even though he had been sick and miserable for half that time, Harry knew he meant his words because he felt the same way. He spent half of their marriage caring for two children and a sick man, constantly living in fear of the worst, but he wouldn’t have traded it for anything, even if it had still been that way in the present.

            But, luckily, it wasn’t, and the only thing Harry had to worry about at that point was making sure Louis didn’t _make_ himself sick from nerves, like he nearly did the first couple of shows. It was funny, in a way, because when Harry met Louis, he’d been a stripper, and comfortable with dancing and taking his clothes off for complete strangers. Yet, put him on a bigger stage with lights shining so bright that he couldn’t even see the audience, and he panicked, even with all of his clothes. Of course, he always drank while stripping and had avoided alcohol at all costs during the duration of the show, last night being the exception. He’d relaxedinto the role quickly, anyway, so Harry hoped he would just be able to enjoy his last night, and also hoped that he knew that he would get a standing ovation from him and all their friends, even if he only went onstage and burped the alphabet or something.

***

            “Louis!”

            “Oh, shit.”

            Harry laughed. Louis had invited quite a few people to his last show; him, Kelsey, Alex and Kelsey’s best friend, Mackenzie, Harry’s mom, Liam, Niall, Zayn, Perrie and a couple friends from his stripping days, but had expected, at most, for Harry, Kelsey and Anne to show up. As it turned out, everyone he’d invited had come, and he grew more and more nervous each time someone came backstage to wish him good luck.

            “Hello,” Harry greeted Zayn and Perrie, the last to arrive, with a smile as they approached and gave each of the two husbands a hug.

            “How are you feeling?” Perrie asked kindly.

            “You look like you’re going to barf,” Zayn added.

            “Thank you so much, Zayn,” Louis said as the man’s wife gave him a good smack upside the head.

            “You look great,” she corrected. “Zoey and Ally drew you something!”

            Zoey and Ally were the couple’s two-year-old twins who, like most kids, had taken quite well to Louis.

            “Aww!” Louis cooed as Perrie handed him a couple pieces of paper, each one with very colorful drawings on them.

            “I know you can’t tell, but Zoey’s is a rainbow and a horse, and Ally’s is a portrait of you,” Zayn explained. “Where my kids got their lack of drawing talent from, I have no idea.”

            “They’re two,” Perrie said.

            “I think they’re wonderful,” Louis said. “Tell them thank you. Harry, can you put these in my bag, carefully, please?”

            “Of course, love,” Harry said, taking the pictures and being careful to not bend them as he set them atop Louis’s street clothes in his performance bag. When he returned, Zayn and Perrie announced that they should be finding their seats, gave Louis another hug and went on their way.

            Anne came backstage soon after that to check on Louis, as she was concerned that Harry hadn’t gone to sit yet. Louis assured her that he was fine, and then squeaked as the show’s director announced that it was ten minutes until show time.

            “You’re going to do excellent, baby boy,” Anne said, pulling her son-in-law into a tight hug. ‘Baby boy’ had been a nickname she’d always used exclusively for Harry (and which made him cringe) but, though Louis had been twenty-three when he and Harry married, she quickly took on mom duty for him and grandma duty for the girls. Sometimes, she went a little over the top with it, but Harry never doubted Louis’s gratitude or Kelsey’s either, as Anne had been the first person she’d gone to after her first break-up, or when she and Louis were driving each other crazy, or just when she needed a female mentor in her life. Louis had done a great job caring for her, and they were really close, but there were some things a teenage girl did not want to talk to her brother about, so Harry was glad she had someone to go to.

            With such little time until the show was on, Harry had no choice but to give his husband a kiss, try to soothe his nerves one more time, quickly, and then head to his seat with his mother.

            “Mark is here,” she said once the two were out of Louis’s earshot, and Harry started in surprise. Mark was Louis’s father-who had run off after Louis’s mom died-but he’d gotten in contact again last year, soon after the husbands’ second wedding. Things were still understandably awkward with him. He’d made contact with a telephone call and, so far, phone calls on birthdays or holidays had been the only form of communication he’d had with his children since it all happened, so Harry had completely forgotten Louis had even invited him tonight, which he felt bad about now. The anticipation of that probably hadn’t helped his husband’s nerves.

            “How does he seem?” he asked his mom, fighting the urge to run backstage again and just wrap Louis in his arms.

            “He’s a pleasant enough man,” Anne said, clearly trying very hard to bite her tongue against saying something that wasn’t quite so nice. Harry laughed.

            Mackenzie was one end of the group but, sure enough, there was a man on the other end that Harry had only seen a few times in old pictures; Louis’s father. Harry was still angry at the man for completely abandoning his children, causing their already flipped world to also be turned inside out, but he’d made a pact to himself to give him a chance, should he ever be placed in a situation such as this. The man had just lost his wife when he fled, and while that wans’t an excuse, Harry at least understood the fear and pain behind it because he’d almost lost his spouse too. The mere thought of it had, day after day, ripped Harry’s heart from his chest and made him just want to lie down and cry. The knowledge that he may have had two young lives depending on him alone was terrifying, and while Harry couldn’t see himself running from Kelsey and Lily, who were, for all intents and purposes, his children, he tried to understand that maybe some people just weren’t strong enough. Besides, if Louis could forgive the guy, then Harry most certainly could.

            Sitting on the edge of his seat, in between his mom and Kelsey, Harry gave the teenager a kiss on the cheek, diverting her attention from her boyfriend.

            “You okay?” he asked quietly. Kelsey hadn’t been so quick to hop on the ‘forgive dad’ train, but that was alright. She loved and appreciated her brother for everything he’d done for her when their dad flaked, but that didn’t mean it was easy. They’d had a really hard time of it, actually, as Louis tried to juggle working two jobs, taking care of the kids and trying not to lose his own head while he worked through his grief and internal struggles, and he’d done great-Kelsey always assured him of that-but she’d been a young girl who just lost both parents and was often left by herself as her brother worked. Then Louis had gotten sick, and though it wasn’t her fault, Kelsey blamed herself and Lily for all the stress Louis had inevitably been placed under. Now that their dad was somewhat back in the picture, she’d placed the blame on him, because though Louis was better, her fear was still there, and every time he caught any type of bug, she worried it was something more severe. Harry didn’t want her to have to live with grudges and resentment, but he was glad that she’d taken the blame from herself. Maybe one day she would be ready to forgive, and maybe not, but Harry and everyone else were going to support her, no matter what.

            “I’m fine,” the girl assured him with a smile. He gave her a look, and she laughed. “I am. Today is about Louis, and if Louis wants him here, then I’m glad he’s here.”

            “You’re amazing, you know that?” Harry said.

            “I was raised only by the best” she replied with a wink. Harry got choked up for a moment.

            “I’m going to introduce myself to him, okay?” he spoke gain after clearing his throat.

            “Okay.”

            After giving her knee one comforting pat, Harry made his way down the aisle to stand in front of his husband’s father, as the seat next to him was filled. It was a full house, or nearly so, at least.

            “Mark?” he asked, though already knew the answer.

            “Yes,” the stranger replied with a nervous smile.

            “Hi, I’m Harry, Louis’s husband,” Harry said with a polite smile, extending a hand, which the men accepted.

            “It’s nice to meet you,” he said, sounding sincere. “Louis told me all about you, and I guess I don’t have much room to speak, but I’m glad he chose you over the other.”

            It took Harry a moment to figure out what this guy was talking about, but then laughed. He’d been with Louis so long that he forgot Louis had ever belonged to anyone else, but then remembered that, at the time the dad disappeared, his wonderful husband had been engaged to a man that didn’t deserve him and who, Harry was realizing, no one really liked.

            “I’m glad he chose me too,” Harry said. Mark gave another nervous smile.

            “I know everyone was going backstage, but I didn’t…I didn’t want to do that; make him…upset or anything.”

            “He’ll just be happy you’re here,” Harry said politely. “Maybe you can go see him after the show.”

            “If he wants it,” Mark said. Harry nodded once.

            “I’ll make sure first.”

            The lights dimmed and people cheered, which Harry took as his cue.

            “I guess I better go sit now.”

            “Alright. It was nice talking to you.”

            Harry smiled and then went to take his seat again. Kelsey looked over to smile at him, though she didn’t look quite so good herself anymore.

            “You sure you’re okay?” Harry asked.

            “This is ridiculous,” she said. Harry raised an eyebrow.

            “What is?”

            “I’m so nervous for my damn brother that I might puke.”

            Harry gave another laugh.

            “He’ll be fine, Kels, and if he does, for some reason, mess up beyond repair, I am not opposed to yelling ‘fire.’”

            “I’ll pull the alarm,” she offered. The two nodded in silent agreement of their plan and then, smiling, turned to face the stage.

            Louis, of course, did spectacular. Harry had all the faith in the world in him, but Louis still managed to blow his mind, and when he took his final bow and got a standing ovation, not only from their group, but from everyone, Harry may have actually cried from his pride. Looking around, he saw that he wasn’t the only one.

***

            “Are you fucking crying, you sap?”

            “No, someone was chopping onions in there, of course.”

            Louis smiled and stood on his tiptoes to press a hard kiss onto his husband’s lips, though was unable to fully embrace him when his arms were full of flowers and chocolates.

            “Babe, I have to tell you something,” Harry said once they broke apart.

            “What is it?” Louis asked, concerned.

            “Your dad is here.”

            The shock was clear on Louis’s face, but he composed himself quickly, expression turning neutral.

            “Oh. That’s cool that he came,” he said nonchalantly, casually sniffing a flower.

            “He’d like to talk to you, but said it’s totally up to you,” Harry told him. Louis contemplated for a moment.

            “Will you stay too?”

            “Of course.”

            Louis nodded.

            “Alright. Then he can come back.”

***

            Harry couldn’t tell if Mark was relieved when he told him Louis would talk to him or if he was quite the opposite, but he followed his son’s husband anyway, noticeably drawing in a breath when Louis was in sight. Louis was gathering all of his belongings, clearly pretending he didn’t notice the two walking towards him. Harry wasn’t going to sell him out, of course.

            “Hi, Louis,” Mark said after an excruciating few seconds of being completely ignored. Louis looked up then, still feigning ignorance.

            “Oh, hi,” he said, like Mark was simply an acquaintance he saw every day.

            “You did great,” Mark tried.

            “Thank you.”

            A beat of silence passed before Mark spoke again.

            “I didn’t think your pants could get any tighter than when you were in school, but that costume in act five sure proved me wrong.”

            Despite everything, Louis laughed, and Harry beamed.

            “Yeah, but I think you were right about them being able to damage something if they’re too tight,” Louis joked back, then, looking at Harry, “It’s a good thing we’re adopting.”

            Harry smiled, but remained silent, and Louis turned back to the older man, sobering himself up.

            “Hi again, dad.”

            The sentence shouldn’t have been that heavy. Mark was, in fact, Louis’s father, but Harry felt the weight because Louis was saying that even then, after the guy had run off and left his kids with more pain and burdens than anyone should be dealt with, that he was still his _dad_ too.

            “Hey, Lou,” Mark replied, his own voice softening. “You really did a terrific job, not that I expected anything else.”

            Louis smiled, genuinely, and Mark returned it.

            “Your mum would be so proud of you.”

            Louis’s smile faltered a little then as he bit the inside of his cheek, and Mark was quick to add,

            “I mean, I’m proud of you too, and not just for tonight, but for everything. I don’t think I ever told you that, but it’s true, and it always has been. You’re a great kid, and I didn’t deserve you or your sisters, and I’m sorry.”

            Louis blinked rapidly against the emotion that had formed in his eyes, and then, taking a deep breath, looked back to Harry.

            “We should probably be going. You know how Lily gets at night sometimes…”

            “I’ll start loading the car up,” Harry offered. We might need my mum to help us. You got a lot of gifts, my little superstar!”

            Louis smiled and gave Harry another kiss.

            “I’m sure we’ll manage. I’ll help you load up. Dad…talk to you soon, I guess?”

            “You will,” Mark assured him. “Thank you for inviting me tonight, Louis.”

            “Have a safe drive!” Louis said before turning and heading to his designated makeup counter, where he still had a couple of personal items. Harry gave Mark a small smile and shrug, but the man didn’t look upset by the end to their conversation. He looked happy and so, so relieved.

***

            “Harry?”

            “Huh?”

            “Were you asleep?”

            “Only half,” Harry said, shaking himself from his light slumber and reaching out to grab onto his husband’s hand. “What’s wrong?”

            “Nothing. Just can’t sleep.”

            “Any particular reason?”

            “I guess not. It just feels weird that the show is actually over. All that stress, learning lines and stuff, and it was over so quick.”

            “I know,” Harry said, rolling over to place a kiss on Louis’s bare shoulder. “At least you can relax for a couple weeks before you have that other audition.”

            “Yeah, but I don’t know if I’m going to do the audition, honestly.”

            “Why not? They called you to do it, babe. I think you’ve got a really good chance at getting it.”

            “Maybe, but I’m not sure I want it.”

            “Okay, what’s wrong?” Harry asked, sitting up and looking Louis square in the eyes. Louis smiled.

            “Nothing’s wrong.”

            “But I thought this was what you wanted to do with your life? Didn’t you have a great time?”

            “I did have a great time. It was an amazing experience, but I’ve had it. I know people are saying I have a bright future and that I’ll be moving past local theater soon, but…but I don’t want that. I want a family.”

            “You _have_ a family.”

            “No, I know that, but I want to be _with_ my family.”

            “You will, most of the time, and if you end up having to travel, we’ll be okay. You’ll come back. We want you to be happy, Lou.”

            “I _am_ happy, Harry,” Louis said, sitting up as well and giving the other a gentle smooch. “I love acting, but I love you a lot more, and I want to be here _all_ the time, not just most of it.”

            “You know what? This is your decision and I’ll support it, whatever it is, but just think about it, okay?”

            “I will, but there’s one thing.”

            “What is it?”

            “You know that little girl that Liam and Niall are adopting from foster care?”

            “Yeah.”

            “She has a foster brother. He’s an orphan, and Liam mentioned trying to adopt him too, but with their surrogate baby on the way, Niall thinks it might be too much.”

            “So you want to adopt him,” Harry concluded.

            “It can’t hurt, can it?”

            “It can’t hurt at all,” Harry agreed, giving his husband yet another kiss. “Besides, we do have a rather empty fourth bedroom.”

            Louis positively beamed.

            “I love you so much, Harry. You’ve made all of my dreams come true, you know that, right?”

            “It’s the least I can do, considering you gave me life.”

            “Umm…no, you’re the one who did that for me too, remember?”

            “I wasn’t living, Lou. I was breathing. I was existing. I told you on our first date that I wasn’t happy and I wasn’t sad, just that I was. But what I didn’t realize was that you were already changing that. I had no idea who I was, but now I do. I’m your husband, I’m a parent…I’m me.”        

            Louis simply stared for a moment before his eyes welled up with tears, one escaping and sliding down his cheek.

            “Will your stupid, cheesy speeches ever fail to make me cry?!” he demanded, pushing Harry back into a laying position so that he could climb on top of him.

            “They’re actually not that great, you’re just a softie,” Harry teased.

            “You did this to me,” Louis accused.

            “Well, I never wish to make you cry. I must remedy this.”

            Moving swiftly, Harry managed to switch their positions, causing a rather loud shriek, which only grew louder as Harry found his husband’s most ticklish spots, which he knew well by now.

            “Lily, tickle fight!” Harry called, knowing that Louis’s screams had already woken the child. On cue, Harry heard little feet running down the hall and a moment later, the four-year-old pushed the bedroom door open, shrieked in excitement when she saw the predicament her brother was in and pulled herself up on the bed to help Harry with his attack. Smiling, Harry let up and Louis let Lily tickle him for a few moments before he grabbed her and began to return the favor.

            “What in the world?” Kelsey wondered out loud from the doorway, arms crossed but expression amused.

            “Kelsey, help!” Lily called breathlessly from Louis’s hold, her small hand reaching out for her sister.

            “I am way too old for this,” Kelsey said, but walked over to the bed anyway. Her attempt to help the toddler failed, however, when Louis decided to pull a schoolyard move and licked her hand.

            “Ew!” Kelsey shrieked, even louder than the other two had been as she vigorously rubbed the saliva off her hand and onto her pajama bottoms. “I don’t know where your mouth has been!”

            Looking at Harry with an ornery little gleam in his eye, Louis waggled his eyebrows, and Kelsey shuddered.

            “We have the most dysfunctional family.”

            “I know,” Louis sighed contently, laying down again and pulling Lily to lay down with him. “Isn’t it wonderful?”

            “Most of the time,” the teenager allowed. Still being completely mature, Louis stuck out his tongue.

            “Put that thing away,” Kelsey demanded, holding her previously assaulted hand closer to her. Louis laughed, but obeyed.

            “I love you weirdos,” Harry said, pulling Louis and Lily back to a sitting position and bringing them into a hug.

            “Aww, come here Kelsey; come join the group hug!” Louis called out.

            “I’m good.”

            “You have too much teenage angst,” Louis noted.

            “Teeny ants,” Lily agreed.

            “Exactly,” Louis said. “Lily, tell Kelsey to join the group hug.”

            “Group hug!” Lily demanded, pointing accusingly at her sister, who rolled her eyes.

            “Fine, but then I’m going back to bed.”

            “Yeah, yeah,” Louis said.

            Fighting her smile, Kelsey sat on the bed in between the husbands, who wrapped all of them closer together. There was no teasing words that time, or any dramatic antics. It was just them, together, like it was always meant to be.


End file.
